The Real Reasons Your Muscles Feel "Tight" All The Time And What You Can Do About It

Now I'm sharing what I know with you fitness , nutrition and all the deeper stuff to help you discover your strongest body . Hello , hello , welcome back to another episode of your Strongest Body . I'm glad you're here . I'm glad you're ready to build your strongest body . I'm Betsy Foster , your host .

Today we're talking about feeling stiff , feeling like you constantly are achy and stiff . This is a common question I get and a common complaint . I feel stiff , I feel tight all the time . Those are the words I hear most commonly from clients , from moms and dads at the pickup line , from people who went as soon as they hear I'm a personal trainer .

That's what I hear . I want to say I'm sorry . I'm sorry that you feel that way . It is a crummy way to feel , especially when we know movement in general makes us feel better . Harkening back to that episode about the winter blues movement makes us feel better . If you're feeling stiff and tight all the time .

I can tell you that is a huge hurdle to motivation and follow through when it comes to movement . What I'm going to tell you today are some potential reasons why you could be feeling that way and then how we address them . I want to first say that I am going to be using these terms stiff and tight in the colloquial sense that I hear it from my clients .

I'll explain that a little bit as we go through , but those aren't necessarily the technical terms that may be more aptly describing what is happening in your body .

For the average fitness enthusiast or person who wants to create a fitness habit , the idea that you need to know the minutiae about mobility and or muscle and muscle physiology is not necessarily all that important .

I'm going to give you some more information so that you have a better understanding , but I'm going to hopefully speak in terms that you can understand , because typically stiff and tight doesn't tell a personal trainer all that much .

There are a lot of other questions that we ask and things we observe that help fill in the blank and give us a more accurate representation , not necessarily of what you're feeling , but what you're dealing with . You are the only person who can truly understand what you're feeling .

Like I said , if you're feeling stiff and tight all the time , it can be very difficult to get motivated to move . What I want to help you do is try to address this . There are , in most cases . The things that I'm going to list are the reasons why you may be feeling this way .

I would like to make a caveat that , of course , there could be potential other reasons why you may feel this way . If you need to see a physician , please do so , especially if you're dealing with , well , both acute and chronic stiffness .

If these approaches don't seem to help or you feel like there might be something else underlying , I want you to know that that is a possibility . I'm giving general advice around some things that could help . There are a few conditions where symptoms could be muscle stiffness and none of these interventions and or causes are going to address that .

Might be something else . As always , I say that to my clients about everything .

If they're experiencing a pain and we're doing one to three movement interventions that aren't really changing or impacting that , I'm going to ask that they get a second opinion , that they get an opinion from a medical professional , if that medical professional does all the necessary tests and gives us the all clear , then we can continue to approach that .

If the medical professional believes that that can be approached in my scope or they'll see a physical therapist or an orthopedist or something like that . Let's talk about the I guess I'm going to call it more benign causes for just muscle aches , stiffness , that tight feeling , that feeling like your muscles don't really want to move . There are a lot of reasons .

We're going to start with maybe one of the more probable , which is that sedentary lifestyle . If you spend a long time in seated positions or just in the same position for an extended period of time , your muscles and the soft tissue , the fascia in your body , adapts to that position , making any sort of stretch out of that position feel uncomfortable .

Similarly , if you are sedentary for you know , 90% of the time and you are what in the fitness industry we like to call a weekend warrior or someone who goes out real hard , works out really intensely , but that's only making up about 10% of your lifestyle and you have no in between .

So you do a ton of sitting or a ton in one very motionless position I would say not a lot of general movement and then you train very hard , you could also feel that stiffness and tightness because you do not have the requisite recovery program and consistent low intensity movement to help support your joints and tissues feeling their best .

Another reason repetitive movement stress . Whether that is in your job , you have a movement stress that you continually do . Let's say you are typing on your computer and you're pulled forward into that forward posture where your pecs are kind of in that shortened position for a long time your head and neck are forward .

Or let's say you have a job that's a lot of labor but very consistent positions that you are sort of going through over and over and over again .

So the same kind of movements , repetitive movement stress , can also create those feelings of stiffness or tightness , a little bit because of that lack of motion in the joint , a little bit because those muscles are in some places sort of always staying in the shortened position and other muscles are always in a lengthened position .

That's going to create that kind of stiffness or tightness we talk about and many people think of muscle tightness coming from overuse .

So I use this a lot and it gets really tight and it feels really bad right here , when that can 100% be a reason for stiffness or tightness , but also weakness in a certain area can contribute to those feelings of stiffness and tightness , and typically , the place that we feel that sort of stiffness or tight sensation is not the place that is , say , stiff or

tight , and what we're dealing with is actually some sort of opposing force or opposing weakness in a antagonist muscle group or a muscle group that's doing the opposite of the muscle group where we feel that discomfort .

That's a really important one that sometimes gets forgotten , and if we are constantly stretching what feels like a tight muscle , that muscle actually might already be sort of overstretched and we need to create some strength . So the strength could actually need to come from there or it could need to come from a different spot .

So it really depends Not enough sleep so we have talked about this here before . Sleep is incredibly important to recovery , to the renewal of all the things in your body that help support your ability to go again the next day , to be able to grow and repair muscle .

Your tissues need that sleep , and so a lack of sleep is going to be a huge contributor into those sensations . Because all of these sensations , too , start with the neurological . Our brain is communicating a signal to us to tell us that something is off . Tension , just general tension . So these kind of go hand in hand , that sort of sleep and stress .

Stress , again , the not good kind of stress , meaning the things that are chronically giving us anxiety or making us preoccupied , that are causing us to either tense our muscles all the time or not even really be able to get good rest , not be able to relax into positions , get nice deep recovery breaths .

All of that is going to be a big contributor into why we feel that way . Dehydration , and particularly an imbalance of electrolytes , is going to be a big contributor to that sensation of stiffness , tightness and that kind of dovetails into poor nutrition . So the lacking in certain nutrients is going to also potentially worsen or those symptoms of stiffness , tightness .

So you can see that there are a lot of potential things and it could be a perfect storm of three or four things altogether . It's also a really good reminder to us that our workouts alone , checking the box and like and pushing ourselves , doesn't necessarily give us the full picture of health or well-being .

We are looking to strike a balance between rest , recovery , high intensity training and or training that elicits a response that we want for our body to change , as well as training that keeps our bodies limber and feeling their best , some low intensity movement that is just for the sake of our bodies to move and our hearts to work .

So low intensity , kind of cardiovascular , just general steps and things like that , and then that nutrition and hydration piece . All those pieces together are what give us our full kind of wellness package . And listen you would . You are not alone if you're listening to that feeling like I cannot manage that all , I cannot manage that all Life is overwhelming .

And so I want to validate those feelings and let you know that the highest level athletes get support on all of these things to create that sort of high performance living , that optimization state for them .

We got to do the best we can as average Joes and when something is off , we got to look down that list and say what thing here can I address , even to make 5% better so that I feel 20% better ? What kind of thing can I change that will not disrupt my whole life , that will not add stress to my life but will give a good return ?

That's all we can do as regular Joes , and we got to celebrate the little wins as we go , because if you are trying to create and go down that list and create the optimized state for yourself , when you have a job , when you have family obligations , when you have obligations to friends , when you want to be a helpful human in your community and in the world ,

like not all these things are going to be optimal per se , but we're going to do a little bit better whenever we can so that we feel our best . And as soon as we start feeling our best , we can put more deposits in the wellness savings account for ourselves .

Because , like I said , if you're feeling stiff and weak and tight all the time , it is very hard to get motivated . Oh , I forgot to say too , when I was thinking about that tension piece . I'm thinking about how cold I am in this room .

I know I bring it up all the time , but I'm cold and when I am cold I'm sitting here tensed , so everything's feeling a little stiffer . You know , body temperature is going to impact our ability to move through a full range of motion . That's why part of what our warm up is is kind of actually increasing our body temperature .

So that's another thing to think about . But okay , so now we've identified those possible contributors and all could be working at the same time or in little bits here and there .

Let's talk about how we address them and basically I'm going to go through this list and we're going to reverse engineer Okay , so sedentary If you are highly sedentary , working in short breaks whenever you can to move a little bit to get out of the position

you're in . So I think people think that as soon as you say sedentary , they go . I need to take walks . Oh , that would be amazing . But if you can't make that happen , can you stand up from your desk and stretch , or can you find three different working positions so that at least you're not in that same working position all the time ?

I mentioned folks who are struggling with these feeling because they are sedentary 95% of the time and then they train really hard . You know the other 5% , or let's say 90 10 . If you are a 90 10 person , think about making yourself a 85 , 10 , and 5 person .

So can you find an opportunity in some way to get in some of that low intensity , that supportive , recovery style movement that is going to be a huge almost bridge building between your sentry lifestyle and your hard training and will help you feel less stiff and tight all the time .

If you are a person whose job or life requires repetitive movement stress I'm thinking about my moms who are nursing babies at the time that is a position that you are forced in so frequently , this sort of forward posture . Your elbow is up , your traps are on fire because you're lifting your elbow up .

Your back is constantly in a sort of flexed position that feels uncomfortable . You may not be able to change anything about your circumstance of doing that , but can you , in the times when you are away from that nursing position , find almost opposite stretches to get into ?

Can you load your exercise program with movements that get you out of that position and actually provide some resistance in those opposing positions ? Can you even find a second or third nursing position to switch into ? That's easier said than done , I'll say , but that's just something to think about .

Same thing , if you're working in a job where you are constantly bending over to get a box and pick it up in a box and pick it up , what are some ways you can change that ? When can you take breaks ?

What can you do in your exercise program to create some opposing strength in those positions that are not the repetitive position that you're constantly in when we talk about that repetitive stress . When it comes to exercise , we're going to try to find intervention exercises that are going to build strength in those opposing or antagonist muscle groups .

We're going to look for patterns that we find ourselves in and either create strength where there isn't or create mobility where there isn't . I'm saying that all to you and it feels a little abstract . This is one of those things where you are probably going to need the help of a personal trainer .

Or , if it is a chronic problem for which you have pain more than stiffness or tightness , you would see a physical therapist or your physician about it .

If you're seeing your personal trainer and you're constantly saying I have this going on , this going on , they should be able to look at your movement and also talk through some of the things in your lifestyle as well as symptoms you're having , and try to craft your program to help support or get you out of that stiffness , discomfort .

That doesn't always mean stretches . That's what I mean by that weakness element . We don't want to over stretch places that are perfectly stretched . Yes , the feeling of tightness can be a little bit of a sneaky symptom because you'll feel like you are going to need to stretch something . You can stretch and stretch until the cows come home and nothing is relieved .

If there is a muscular imbalance or a weakness that is creating that , our muscles do not have to be perfectly balanced at all times . We are human beings with imbalances that are just fine .

We are not going to be symmetrical Our bodies are not made symmetrically but if something is creating stiffness or tightness , we may need to do something to get you out of that feeling . It might mean actually adding resistance or strengthening something rather than just stretching .

If that's something you think might be happening , this would be something to talk about With your coach or your trainer . When we get to that sleep aspect , getting high quality , enough sleep is really important .

I've talked about it before , but you know figuring out ways in which you can just add a little time to either getting to sleep or a little time to the waking up part . How can you remove distractions in your space ? How can you make your space more comfortable for sleep ? All of those things .

I feel like it's the last thing that we're willing to ever make an investment in , because it feels wasteful , but that time spent sleeping is so imperative to your health . Stress and tension , just don't stress about it . Did that help ? Did me saying don't stress about it help you with your stress level ? No , finding ways to manage your stress is imperative .

That is something that someone who is licensed with mental health counseling could help you with . Of course , you understand , or you probably know , that breathing strategies , mindfulness and meditation can be helpful , but you may also need something different and you would have to speak to a professional in that area .

As far as body tension and stress goes , where are there opportunities that you can move a little more to feel better ? Where can you find opportunities to dial in on your breath and what your body is doing ? So some kind of body check-in to facilitate or encourage some greater relaxation throughout your body ?

I was going to say this earlier and kind of forgot , but this is a helpful one to remember that motion is lotion . If you can find opportunities to move your body a little bit more , you may find that some of these things that you can facilitate , some of those relaxed states or some of that release of tension with some movement .

As with anything , not all these interventions are going to be the right answers . You have to figure out the one that's right for you .

Dehydration I don't want to give you specific recommendations because every person is going to be different in their hydration needs , but you'll want to take a look at your height and weight and getting the adequate amount of hydration . Remember that water isn't the only source of hydration for you , so some of that is going to come through fruits and vegetables .

Things like coffees and other drinks can also provide hydration . It's just about sort of how much you're taking in and to have a better understanding of that you would want to track for yourself , being aware , as I say , that coffee is going to help add to your hydration .

But the caffeine you just have to be sort of cognizant of caffeine content , because there is a suggested daily amount of caffeine that is regarded as safe for people and I don't want to provide individual recommendations . Then that nutrition piece . So where are places where you may be lacking in certain nutrients that you might need ? How can you look at that ?

When we talk about that hydration and nutrition , we're talking about that electrolyte imbalance . Again , that's something that you can get assessed for so that you understand . I don't want to just tell you that your electrolytes are off . That's not my job , to just tell you that you may want to speak with a physician about it or a registered dietitian about it .

You can also , if you're just feeling particularly dehydrated or if you're taking you can kind of assess within yourself at sort of a I don't know a non-prescriptive level , you can use you know the electrolyte over the counter hydration tools for yourself if that feels appropriate for you or if you've contacted a medical professional .

There are instances where people over hydrate and also run into the same issues . So I don't want to make specific recommendations , but that would be something to look at and look into . Remember that when we're exercising in places where the temperatures are high or where the humidity is high , we may need to replace electrolytes .

So again , it is not necessarily only one of these things . It could be a cocktail of these things that are contributing to those feelings of stiffness or tightness . But if you're able to tweak a few things and notice a difference , that's great .

Remember , if you need medical , to seek medical advice when you're in pain or when a problem persists , and you do not have to change all these things overnight .

Again , we are just working our absolute best to make tiny tweaks that we can manage so that we can feel better and as we do that and as we gain more success with each little bonus thing that we're doing for ourselves , it will get easier and it kind of avalanches in a really positive way . All right , that's all I have for you .

It is this episode is going to come out on December 7th and December 7th will still be in the 12 days of fitness I didn't say Christmas , 12 days of fitness giveaway that I have for my email list . Every day a new free resource .

If you want to get on the list , you just go to be foster strongcom , scroll down to the bottom and there's a place where you can join the newsletter . You will get those emails . I will see your name added to the list and I will send you all the things that you've missed so far . So I promise you , if you sign up , you'll get all the 12 resources .

The other one will just come in an email where I give you all the ones that you missed . But these are . They range in fitness help , nutrition help , recovery stuff should be just , you know , something you can pull out of your back pocket if you need it here or there , and I just am so appreciative that people would be on the list .

I want to deliver those holiday goodies to you , as always . I am so grateful that you take the time to listen . I appreciate you . Go build your strongest body and until next time , bye .